I have taken two of Elena's classes (Beginner One and Beginner Two). As someone who never studied…read moreSpanish in school and came in with nearly no Spanish language experience - aside from a few hours spent on Duolingo - I learned so much and left both B1 and B2 with confidence in my Spanish speaking skills. Elena is an amazing instructor. She keeps the content engaging, easy to follow/understand, and fun. The setup of the class is conversation based, so you're constantly speaking with your classmates and putting the learnings into practice. I would recommend Elena's classes to anyone in Chicago looking to learn a new language. I never felt like I'd be able to learn a new language as an adult - but Elena makes it exciting and enjoyable. I can't wait to continue taking her classes this summer!

Loved this experience! It takes you out of your normal routine and adds a little education to your…read moreschedule. The classes are in the back of Club Lucky in Wicker. Elena is a fun teacher and everyone who took the class was a good time. People get martinis and beers prior to class. She gives homework after each class, so I would say make sure your schedule allows a little extra time to make it well worth it. I recommend it!

I've been taking lessons here and Johanna is so friendly! The team really wants to help you grow…read moreand learn and they're very accommodating. Highly recommend checking them out and booking! Such a nice group of people

I submitted an online form for more information and did not hear back. Upon calling to confirm that…read moremy form was received, I was told that I had not received a response because they were not currently offering the language that I wanted...glad that I called so that I could at least search for another provider. Not a good experience. Had I been seeking a more common language, my interactions *may* have been better, but this was a clear message of "We wouldn't get any money out of you, so we didn't bother to respond." The person on the phone was polite, which is why I gave two stars.

There are lots of social activities for students, nice people around and so many nations! Lessons…read moreare split to three parts, 1.5 each and teachers rotate. Mike and Kevin are fantastic teachers, Kelley was my another favorite but she left :( Prices are good and we can pay by instalments. There are talks that Solex may increase tuition (currently, its $480 a month including books) but it will not effect old students, fingers crossed. Oh yes, they just bought new furniture and comps, it looks soooo nice. Hope we will get a coffee machine on the 4th fooor too.

Solex its very good school for many reasons first and foremost most of the students are…read moreinternational students and someone from different country could feel there very comfortable. All the instructors are very qualified and very friendly the school is located in the middle of downtown so the students can go for lunch to me millenium Park and enjoy all the things the city of Chicago has to offer .

If you are looking for Spanish classes - this is the spot…read more I took 3-4 years of Spanish in middle and high school and haven't "formally" studied since. I practiced on Duolingo a bit but noticed that my speaking and listening weren't improving very much on a trip abroad. I signed up for classes at LALC and instantly started progressing in my Spanish. The classes are 100% speaking and listening so you get an immersive experience for 2 hours a week. They also tell you how to best practice during the week so you can continue to learn after class. LALC combined with Duolingo helped me greatly improve my vocab, listen, and feel confident speaking. Highly highly highly recommend.

I have been taking Spanish lessons at LALC and must say this is the perfect fit for my needs. Mara,…read moremy teacher/owner, offers group classes or private lessons and super accommodates my every need. I have a very busy schedule and she always finds a time to work around it - be it morning classes or night. Her teaching style is very individual and she pushes hard to making sure you do your homework and get your money's worth out of it. It's great how she incorporates technology and e-learning thru shared google files as an integral part in her classes. I have lived in several countries and been taking language classes all over. Mara is hands down the best I've ever had!

We came here for an event about poetry in various languages by Chicago-based poets and translators…read more We used to come years ago (pre-pandemic) to watch movies, or listen to book reviews. We speak NO German but it was always a nice space to visit. We never joined to study the language or take classes but we definitely want to visit someday. The space is about how I remember it, and the presentation (we were kind of late) was good. The seating was not ideal. I was not able to see the subtitles for the readings (there were PowerPoint slides) so I sat in the very back on a sofa. I really blame myself for being too late to sit up front, not the institution. There was a wine reception following, with treats from local bakers as well as the Italian Cultural Institute. We chatted with a few people too. The view of Michigan Avenue from there is so great, even at night. I'd go back for another event, I do miss this place.

Once upon a time, I took German in High School. Over a decade later, I decided to rekindle my…read morerelationship with the language. There's a good chance that I may be going to Germany to teach English next year, so now is a good a time as any to take the class! I thought I would know a lot coming into the class (I barely tested into A1.2) but then I realized that there were already many things I didn't know or forgot. But the great thing about these classes is that you are thrown in and fully immersed in a certain theme of German speaking. ie, asking for directions, making a doctors appointment, telling time, etc. Unlike my HS German class, you don't necessarily learn "from the start" but take steps towards learning the language in a way that may be helpful in speaking and understanding. My last class is next week, but I've already signed up for the next level. The instructors seem to rotate and vary depending on skill level, but our teacher is simply the best! She's always high energy, positive, and makes the class engaging. I certainly hope she's the instructor for the next level! A great course at a great price. High recommendation.

[This review is for the Bronzeville location]…read more Bottom line: We ADORE this daycare/preschool. We started sending our son when he was around 17-18 months. I was SO nervous about the transition because he was a Covid baby and we had nannies up until that point, but it became abundantly clear very quickly that he is thriving under the care of Sandra, Adriana, and his teachers. They work very hard to make sure each kid is well cared for and comfortable at school. LTL offers dual language (Spanish and French) immersion instruction and care, and it's amazing to see how quickly the kids adapt and learn new languages and skills. They are Montossori-inspired, but more academic-focused. The teachers create a curriculum each week. What really impresses me is their philosophy that kids are extremely capable and oftentimes it's adults that underestimate them. For example, LTL reached out to us when our son was around 20-21 months old to start potty training. Everyone we knew thought it was crazy and it was far too soon, but sure enough, after following LTL's guide, our son was potty trained within a couple of months and well before his 2nd birthday. I HIGHLY recommend this daycare. It's certainly not cheap, but for us, it's worth it. Other notes: - they use the Brightwheel app, which makes it a breeze to pay, send messages, etc. - they will post a picture/video daily so you can see what your child is doing that day - class sizes have been small (but this may be because Bronzeville is a newer location). Our son's class is 8-10 students with 2 instructors. - the Bronzeville location is right across from Dunbar park, and it's SO nice to have an accessible park and field for the kids to enjoy good weather and exercise!

It was abundantly clear from our initial tour of the facility and meeting with the owners and staff…read morethat Living the Language (LTL) was way above the other options we considered. That was validated by our experience at the school. Our daughter is speaking in Spanish and French. She is writing, learning to read, and singing in 3 languages! WGN did a little segment on LTL during February 2019, because there are no other Chicago daycares that teach this way and this well. The teachers love on the children and care about them deeply. The LTL community feels like a family. Sandra and Nana (the owners) go out of their way to ensure the children get a great education and are loved on. The daycare celebrates fun European holidays and has an annual World-vision Toddler Marathon, where the children get to run a race and learn about being compassionate and generous towards those with less.

McCrone is a non-profit research institute that was founded in 1960 for a rather specific purpose:…read moreto enhance the utility and applications of light and electron microscopy in all areas of science. In other words, they're all about microscopes. McCrone offers courses, conferences and publications germane to the training of researchers to better apply microscopy to their work. This is unique, because most research institutes focus on an area of study rather than a technique, but McCrone desires instead to educate scientists in how to work better with microscopy and they do this in the same humble building they've been in since their founding, near some of Chicago's most-respected medical research and clinical institutions but seperate, independent, and while cutting-edge, still quaint (in a good way) in their dedication to the noble microsope. What McCrone does is really a national service: microscopy is still in a process of evolution and involves complex techniques that are best passed by mentor to student in a lab setting or, as McCrone does, taught in specific coursework. That type of coursework isn't something you get in most dedicated graduate programs be these in microbiology, neuroscience, materials engineering or whatever else. Having a dedicated institution offering this training and backing it with decades of expertise is a real benefit to science in general.